Sintering machine



Dec. T719257" 1,563,759

J. LINNEY S INTERING MACHINE Filed Feb. 15, 1924 vwemboz I f8, 8 flame 7 W W P Patented Dec. 1, 1925.

UNITED STATES 1,563,? PATENT oFFioa- JOSEPH R. LINNEY, OF LYON MOUNTAIN, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOE .00 CH ATEAUGAY ORE & IRON ('30., OF LYON MOUNTAIN. NEW YORK, A. CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SINTEBIN G MACHINE.

Application filed February 15, 1924. Serial No. 693,009.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH R. LINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lyon Mountain, county of Clinton, State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Sintering Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus of the horizontal type for sintering ore and the like, and particularly to an apparatus containing a train of separate pallets or grates adapted to form a continuous moving grate for continuously sintering the ore fed upon it and discharging it upon the completion 1 of the sintering operation.

In earlier sintering machines of the wellknown Dwight and Lloyd horizontal type, the separate pallets or grates are adapted to be propelled along an endless track which track has an upper horizontal portion whereon the loaded pallets or grates move during the sintering of the ore and a lower return portion whereon the emptypallets or grates move. The sintered ore is dumped or discharged as the pallets tilt and separate in running around and down the discharge end of the machine from the upper to the lower portions of the track. The pallets are then propelled back empty along the lower return portion of the track to the feed end of the machine where they are elevated up and around the return curve of the track to the upper horizontal portion and to the point of feeding of the ore to be sintered and are then propelled along the upper horizontal 'or sintering portion of the track to the discharge end of the machine. The operation is continuous; Because of the expansions and contractions of the train of pallets by the heat changes developed in the operation of the machine, the track is made slightly longer than the train of pallets so as to provide an expansion space somewhere along the endless track to prevent breakage. It has been the practise in this horizontal type of machine to provide this expansion space at the discharge end of the machine by allowing the pallets to, separate there under the action of gravity in running down around the end of the machine while'dumping or discharging. Difliculty has been encountered due to sinter falling between the pallets when they separate and sticking to the pallets at their contacting surfaces and so preventing their proper contact later on and their proper enga ement with the sprocket wheels and there y causing the maf chine to wreck itself. For this reason it has It is an object '0 this invention to provide a machine of this general type but containing means for avoiding these objections and for decreasing the expense of operating suchmachines.

One object of the invention is toprovide means whereby the pallets of the train of pallets are kept from separating at the discharge end of the machine and an expansion space is provided at a portion of the track other than the ,discharge end of the machine.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the train of pallets may be driven wholly from the feed end of the machine and whereby the separate pallets may be reliably and accurately brought into engagement with such driving means.

Further objects of the invention will appear hereafter.

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part hereof, I have shown in elevation a machine embodying my invention in its preferred form. It consists of a suitable support 1 carrying anendless track 2, upon which a train of pallets or grates 3 (slightly shorter than thetrack) is adapted to travel, being elevated and propelled by the sprocket wheel 4. Any other suitable driving and elevating means for moving the pallets continuously along the track may be employed. At the feed end of the upper portion of the track is a hopper 6 located over the track for feeding the ore on to the pallets. Any usual igniting means 7 may be emplo ed for igniting the oil under the pallets. etween the feeding hopper and the discharge end of the machine the pallets form a continuous moving grate, the speed of movement and the length of the machine being regulated so as to roduce the desired degree of combustion o the ore before its discharge.

grade 9 as an acceleratingmeans.

The sinter is discharged as the pallets move down around the discharge end of the machine, but, becauseof the formation of the lower return portion of the track hereafter described, the pallets cannot separate but are held firmly together at and around such discharge end of the machine so that sinter cannot get between the pallets or become lodged between them.

For this purpose I form the lower return portion of the track (preferably just before it reaches the sprocket wheel 4) with an upgrade 8as a retarding means or part of a retarding means and then with. a down- The upgrade -8 produces such resistance to the movement of the train of pallets at the discharge end of the machine that, with the added retarding action of the friction in the portion of the return track between it and the discharge end of the machine, the separation of the pallets in rounding and descending the discharge end is certainly prevented. The accelerating means furnishes f'the opportunity for separation of the pallets and expansion of the train of pallets and is efiicient to bring the separated pallets into prompt and proper contact again, each with the pallet in front of it before reaching the point of engagement with the sprocket wheel 4. To this endthe downgrade is preferably shorter and of a sharper pitch suflicientto insure such prompt and proper contact.

This construction resists the'tendency 'of the pallets to separate, as by gravityor tion of the otherwise, at the discharge end of the machine and so prevents sinter getting between the pallets. It allows and achieves separaallets, and so expansion of the train of allets, after the sinter has been fully discliarged. It reunites the separated pallets promptl and in proper contact with one another an in position to properly enga e with the sprocket wheel 4.

n theDwight & Lloyd sinte'ring machine of the prior art the pallets are driven exactl that from both ends. The two sprocket wheels at opposite ends of the machine must be in step with each other in order e teeth of thesprockets of each wheel shall mesh properly into the. pallets, In

this machine as stated the expansion space originates at the discharge end of the machineand because of this fact some of the sinterwhen discharging fromthe machine may drop into this. space to be carried along with the pallets and hold them apartand throw them out of step with the sprocket wheels, causing the machine to wreck itself.

To revent, this a man is placed as stated at=t e. discharge. end .of the machine with a long poker to remove any sinter that may chance to fall between the pallets. Occasion- 1i ally he is unable to remove all of this sinter.

As a result the machine is wrecked, causing a loss in operation of the machine of many hours duration and an expenditure of money for labor and renewal of parts. My improvement causes the expapsion space to originate at a point on the track other than the discharge end of the machine and maintains contact of pallets with one another at that discharge end and throughout the operation of dumping or discharging the sinter so that it is impossible for sinter to drop between the pallets-and hold them apart. -My improvement also eliminates the necessity of driving the machine from both ends, a construction which is intricate in operation and expensive tomanufacture and renew. In machines of this type the separate pallets must return to the driving sprocket accurately so that they may be picked up by the sprocket-teeth and to this end the pallets must be'p i'operly kept in step and properly presented to the sprocket teeth. 3 My improvement achieves this end by'inclining a part 9 of the lower or return portion of the track near the driving end of the machine sufliciently sharply toecause the most sluggish of the pallets to run down regularly and accurately to the driving sprocket wheel. As myimproved machine is put in motion the pallets are picked up by the sprockets at the driving end of the machine at the bottom of the downgrade 9 and are elevated and pushed or driven along the upper-portion of the track and down and around the discharge end of the machine and until they pass the crest of the upgrade 8 on'the lower or return portion 0 the track and each pallet separates from the train of'pallets'behind it after it has passed the crest and runs down by gravity to the place of beginning where it is presented properly to mesh with the sprockets of the single driving wheel. This locates the expansion "space just over the crest of the upgrade on the return portion of the track, removing it from the discharge end of the machine, and at the same time it reliably and accurately presents the successive pallets tothe sprockets of the single driving wheeh My improvement isof-great practical value for it eliminates the expense in construction and the dangers in operation of machines having articulated pallets or pallets driven by endless chains or the like and of machines having driving, wheels at both ends of the machine, and'at the same time it cuts downthe expense of operation.

to b'eiunderstood that the foregoing is illus- 'trative' merely and that my invention embraces all devices falling within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.-

What lclaim as new and desire to secure by LettersPatent is:

, 1. In a sintering machine, a train of separate pallets or grates, an "endless track for the same including a loading and combustion portion, a discharge portion, a return .portion located below the loading and combustion portion, and means for elevating the pallets or grates from the return portion to the loading portion of the track, said track being longer than the train of separate pallets or grates to provide expansion space for the same, the return portion of the track being provided with means to prevent separation between the pallets or grates at level near the feed end of the machine to and around the said delivery portion;

-2. In a sintering machine, a train. of separate pallets or grates and means for propelling the same, an endless track of a length providing expansion space for said train, and an upgrade on the return portion of the track so located and of such length as to keep the pallets or grates in contact at and around the delivery end of the machine.

3. In a sintering machine, a train of separate pallets or grates and means forpropelling the same, an endless track of a length providing expansion space for said train,

and an upgrade on the return portion'of the track having its crest near the feed end of the machine to keep the. pallets or grates in contact at and around the delivery end of the machine and to permit separation of the pallets'or grates only on said return portion of the track near the feed end of the machine.

4. In a sintering machine, a train of separate pallets or grates, an endless track of a length providing expansion space for said train, means located at the feed end of the machine for positively elevating the pallets or grates and propelling the train of pallets or grates toward and around the delivery end of'the machine, and means including the-return portion of the track between the delivery end and the feed end of the machine constructed and arranged to permit separation of the pallets or grates only at a point distant from the delivery end of the machine and to restore contact between them before moving them into engagement with the said elevating and propelling means.

5. In a sintering machine, a train of separate pallets or grates, an endless track of a length providing expansion space for said train, means located at thefeed end of the machine for positively elevating the pallets or grates and propelling the train of pallets or grates toward and around the delivery end of the machine the return portion of the track being elevated above its normal permit separation of the pallets or grates only at a point distant. from the delivery end of the machine and to restore contact between them before moving them into engagement with the elevating and propelling means.

6. In a' sintering machine, a train of separate pallets or grates, an endless track of a length providing expansion s ace for said train, means located at the fee end of the machine for positively elevating the pallets I or grates and propelling the train of pallets or grates toward and around the delivery end of the machine, an upgrade on the returnportion of the track the crest of which is located near the feed end of the machine 

